Intercultural Communication Studies XII-4 2003 Asian Approaches to Human Communication Toward an Alternative Metatheory of Human Communication:

A metatheory or paradigm is a conception that includes a multiplicity of theories; as such, it allows us to develop better interpretations, fuller understandings, and more effective articulations of the meaning of human goals and interactions. A metatheory suggests the character and content of theories by prescribing what a theory should explain … and what analytical tools are required for revealing and establishing concepts … A metatheory, then, is the product of decision rather than discovery, and it is justified by the theories that are consonant to it